Grayton Beach

From Coastal Living Magazine ...

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University in Miami, does scientific studies of the shore and its environmental matters. He has provided expert testimony to the U.S. Congress about those topics on 10 occasions.

Grayton Beach Has Seen Many Changes

By DeLene Sholes

Grayton Beach, The Most Beautiful Beach in America
story & photos by Doug Pinkston

Grayton Beach is in the center of the “Beaches of South Walton” - a special place where development has come slowly, and nature's treasures still remain unspoiled. Our 26-mile stretch of pristine coastline is draped with the aroma of clean salt air and the fresh scent of deep pine forests, and is interwoven with the unique charm of 18 individual beach communities. Whatever your preference, from beachside cottages to world -class resorts, you’ll find it here. Explore the sugar-white sands and emerald green waters of top-rated beaches, the woods and marshlands where endangered plants, animals and exotic birds thrive … you'll love our unspoiled nature.

Golf
Enjoy 126 challenging holes on top-rated courses. Fully stocked golf shops and driving ranges. In the Beaches of South Walton, even golf can be a water sport! More info

Tennis
A tennis lover's haven with all levels of play available. Challenge yourself on hard, rubico, and even the only Wimbledon-style grass courts in North Florida. Group or individual clinics and lessons available. More Info.

Fishing
Freshwater and saltwater fishing opportunities abound at the Beaches of SoWal. Gulf of Mexico; Choctawhatchee Bay; freshwater lakes, rivers and stocked ponds are plentiful. More info

by Lori Ceier, WaltonOutdoors.com

January & February are our coldest months. Usually in the 50s or 60s for the high with few clouds. Temps sometimes reach the 70s on a rare spectacular day, with little or no wind. Winds can be high some days from the North, causing rough water well offshore (known as “Elephants marching” because it is humpy on the horizon). We usually have a few nights of freezing but usually not more than a couple of nights in a row. Snows lightly about every 20 years or so. The beaches are mostly deserted, windy, and brilliant with clear, cold waters. Not unusual to see a snowbird or 2 swimming. Lots of slow-driving, silver-haired snowbirds consider this the best time of year to visit with sparser crowds, cheaper rentals, and 2-for-1 dinner specials. They also like to block supermarket aisles, contemplating their next move.

March brings spring breakers and warmer temps, usually in the 60s & 70s. Water temps are still too cool to swim for most folks. Not a problem for beer-filled frat boys. The snowbirds begin migrating North. SoWal has an abundance of wildflowers along the roadsides and forests which begin blooming this time of year, and on into the summer. Also keep your eyes open for Blue Lupine, which gives Blue Mountain Beach it’s name. It used to cover the dunes so thickly that sailors said they looked like blue mountains.

American Business Women´s Association
Emerald Coast Chapter
PO Box 731
Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32547
(850)864-7697
www.arc.net/abwa

Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative
PO Box 512
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
(850)892-2111

Destin Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 8
1021 Hwy 98 E. - Suite A
Destin, FL 32540-0008
850-837-6241
www.destinchamber.com

40% of South Walton’s 56,000 acres is owned by the State, and thus protected from future development.

Grayton Beach State Park
Located on Scenic 30A just East of Grayton Beach.
Box 6600, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459, (850) 231-4210
Grayton Beach State Recreation Area's name comes from the neighboring township of Grayton Beach, one of the oldest townships along the Gulf of Mexico in Walton County. Obtained through a land lease from the Florida Board of Education in 1964, Grayton Beach was dedicated and opened in 1968.

Salt spray and wind pruning, two of nature's landscaping tools, are seen everywhere. What sometimes appears to be "bushes" in the dunes are often full-size slash pines and southern magnolia trees with only their tops protruding from the drifting sand. Also found within the park boundaries are pine flatwoods and scrub. Scenic Western Lake is ringed by extensive salt marsh.

Hailed as the "Best Beach in the U.S." in 1994 by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, this crown jewel of SoWal lives up to its reputation. The park features 1,133 acres of pristine coastal vegetation, a stunning stretch of beach and beautiful Western Lake. An extensive, self-guided nature trail system gives visitors an up-close look at the vast amount of ecological diversity found in the area including sand dunes, the coastal dune lake, pine flatwoods, marsh area and the beach. Facilities available include a pavilion, public restrooms, camping area, picnic areas and a boat ramp to Western Lake. Canoe rentals for lake tours are available.

Christ the King Episcopal Church
480 N Highway 393
850.267.3332

Cornerstone Life Church, Assembly of God
1144 N Hwy 395 Point Washington
850.231.4679

First Baptist Church of Seagrove Beach
4915 E Scenic 30A Santa Rosa Beach
850.231.2884

Hope Lutheran Church
280 Ivy Lane Santa Rosa Beach
850.231.1683

Van R. Butler Shool
6694 W. Co. Hwy 30-A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32549
850.622.5040

Bay Elementary
118 Gilmore Street
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
850.622.5050

Emerald Coast Middle School
6696 West Co. Hwy 30-A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Phone: (850)-622-5025
Fax: (850) 622-5027

Seaside Neighborhood School - Charter Middle School
10 Smolian Circle, Box 4653
Seaside, FL 32459
850.231.0396